At the beginning of the 50s, the father or Cockta, Emerik Zelinka, came up with the recipe for Cockta while working at Slovenijavino. Experimenting with a range of flavours, his recipe included rose hip fruit, pleasantly sour vitamin C, a mix of herbs, pure spring water, and caramel. Cockta’s name comes from “cocktail”, referring to the mix of herbs that make up its signature flavour, and thus was borne Yugoslavia’s first soft drink.

Cockta was first introduced to the public on 8 March 1953 at Planica, where visitors were accompanied at every step by a billboard featuring an attractive girl with a Cockta in her hand. The billboard was the handiwork of the esteemed designer and painter Uroš Vagaja.

1953

Cockta Original

1954 – 1964

The First Cockta Ad

1953

The First Bottle

Cockta made its world debut in a round, 250ml bottle filled with a bubbly brown liquid, the quintessence of western lifestyle. The bottle, along with its engraving, was crafted by designer Sergej Pavlin.

That year already over a million litres of Cockta were poured, filling 4.5 million bottles.

1953

The First Bottle

1965-1970

Advertisement: Jupi and Cockta

1954 – 1964

The First Cockta Ad

In its first 14 years, Cockta boasted 25% yearly growth, and in 1967 annual sales were already up to 80 million bottles per year. Cockta was one of Slovenia’s (at that time Yugoslavia’s) best exports, even being shipped to the Netherlands for 2 years. At the end of the 60’s, the first foreign competition hit the market. The trend of buying western products halted demand for Cockta, and sales took a dive.

1954 – 1964

The First Cockta Ad

1971-1975

Advertisement: Ingredients

1965-1970

Advertisement: Jupi and Cockta

The Jupi and Cockta ad was launched, targeting parents and children alike. Cockta’s natural ingredients made it a hit among the younger generation as well.

1965-1970

Advertisement: Jupi and Cockta

1976

Campaign: I’m Thirsty

1971-1975

Advertisement: Ingredients

In 1975, Cockta began filling litre-sized bottles, too. To mark the occasion, a campaign was launched to highlight Cockta’s unique recipe, which since Cockta’s emergence on the market in 1953 has remained the same: a mixture of herbs, with no phosphoric acid or caffeine.

1971-1975

Advertisement: Ingredients

1980

Advertisement: Planica

1976

Campaign: I’m Thirsty

At the end of the 70s, Cockta held a regional campaign which cast the drink as a non-alcoholic refreshment which you can enjoy for every occasion.

1976

Campaign: I’m Thirsty

1983 – 1994

Still the Best

1980

Advertisement: Planica

Cockta had become a family drink by the end of the 70s, an alternative to sparkling water. But in the 80s, as broadcast by the legendary ad to mark the 30th anniversary of its launch in Planica, Cockta became “The Drink of Our Youth”. This campaign kicked sales into high gear, reaching an all-time high of 37 million litres. Cockta also received its first plastic bottle for its 30th birthday.

1980

Advertisement: Planica

1996

A New Bottle

1983 – 1994

Still the Best

In the middle of the 80s, Cockta’s sales began to dip somewhat. There were several causes, including the collapse of the Yugoslavian market, imposter drinks in the region, and the dissolution of Slovino. 35 years after its introduction at Planica, Cockta hit the scene in yet another form of packaging – the can.

1983 – 1994

Still the Best

2000

A New Image

1996

A New Bottle

Slovenijavino took over bottling for Cockta in the middle of the 90s, and sales began to rise once again. At the same time a new bottle hit shelves, along with a new label.

1996

A New Bottle

2001

You Never Forget Your First

2000

A New Image

In 2000, Kolinska purchased rights to the Cockta brand. A whole new image and marketing approach followed. A new logo was also designed, as well as a new label and bottle shape, though it stayed very faithful to the legendary original image – an homage to that image was the slogan “You Never Forget Your First.”

2000

A New Image

2002

Advertisement: Zlatko

2001

You Never Forget Your First

In 2001, Cockta once again came out swinging with a range of new campaigns, including the racy ad You Never Forget Your First, making it even more popular and recognisable among young people.

2001

You Never Forget Your First

2003

Jumbo Billboard

2002

Advertisement: Zlatko

In 2002, Kolinska advertised its sponsorship of the Slovenian Men’s National Football Team with a Cockta ad featuring Zlatko Zahović and Srečko Katanec.

2002

Advertisement: Zlatko

2004

Advertisement: Good Cockta

2003

Jumbo Billboard

A fresh new campaign for young people (Soulmates).

2003

Jumbo Billboard

2005

Cockta Light

2004

Advertisement: Good Cockta

Cockta launched the “Good Cockta” ad, with a hefty dose of “craziness”, which spoke directly to young consumers.

2004

Advertisement: Good Cockta

2005

Advertisement: Ingredients

2005

Cockta Light

Cockta surprised its fans with a new product, Cockta Light, which kept up with the trends and offered an alternative to all those who were looking for a “lighter” form of refreshment with the same legendary taste.

2005

Cockta Light

2006

Advertisement: Penguin

2005

Advertisement: Ingredients

Ever since 1953, Cockta’s recipe has never been changed. Its secret is ingredients of the highest quality: herbs, rose hip, caramel, lemon, and pure spring water. This was highlighted even in a campaign for the Serbian market.

2005

Advertisement: Ingredients

2007

Advertisement: Make it Yours

2006

Advertisement: Penguin

In this new campaign, Cockta’s faithful companions were portrayed as fun and easy-going comic strip characters, including a duck, a bottle opener, a giraffe, a cow, etc.

2006

Advertisement: Penguin

2008

Advertisement: The Duck and the Giraffe

2007

Advertisement: Make it Yours

The ads for the No Joke campaign continued Cockta’s creative story from the previous year, employing the same comic characters and jokes on their behalf.

2007

Advertisement: Make it Yours

2009

No Joke: Cockta Lime

2008

Advertisement: The Duck and the Giraffe

Fans of the legendary soft drink helped co-create the content in the Cocktacomic and Cocktamovie. After the incredible comic from Saša Oblak, Cockta also shot a TV ad.

2008

Advertisement: The Duck and the Giraffe

2009

Cockta – Always the Right Answer

2009

No Joke: Cockta Lime

The Cockta family now received a new member: Cockta Lime. The famous original taste of rose hip and caramel never changed, but the freshness of the lime gave Cockta a new layer, which was perfect for refreshment in the heat of summer.

2009

No Joke: Cockta Lime

2011

Nevergreen

2009

Cockta – Always the Right Answer

Consumers voted by text message to choose the end of the ad “Cockta – Always the Right Answer”. Their choice was between hot or cold.

2009

Cockta – Always the Right Answer

2012

Refresh your Life

2011

Nevergreen

The regional Nevergreen campaign told the story of Cockta and vampires. Talented youngsters from the whole region auditioned for the main roles in the online miniseries Nevergreen, which was then filmed and broadcast online in 10 episodes.

2011

Nevergreen

2012

Cockta Rossa. Wildly Fresh.

2012

Refresh your Life

This campaign highlighted both Cockta’s legendariness, as well as its modernity. The ad’s music was a remix of the legendary song “Program tvog kompjutera”, which Cazzafura made especially for Cockta.

2012

Refresh your Life

2013

60th Birthday: Made Differently

2012

Cockta Rossa. Wildly Fresh.

Cockta got a baby sister, Cockta Rossa, making the summer of 2012 wild and crazy. The wild and crazy refreshing soft drink, made of the natural essences of mandarine, orange, lemon, and black currant, which gives it that delicious red hue.

2012

Cockta Rossa. Wildly Fresh.

2013

Cockta Chinotto. The taste of summer.

2013

60th Birthday: Made Differently

2013 was all about Cockta’s 60th anniversary. There was no better way to celebrate such a noble milestone than with the campaign “Made Differently”.

Select bars, restaurants, and stores featured Cockta in its original bottle from 1953.

That year Facebook also highlighted Cockta’s 3D virtual museum, with images of its legendary stickers, bottles, ads, and other trinkets of Cockta lore.

2013

60th Birthday: Made Differently

2013

Cockta 0.33l in its Sleeve Packaging

2013

Cockta Chinotto. The taste of summer.

Cockta’s line of products was flushed out with a new, exotic addition. The new flavour in Cockta Chinotto was given by the chinotto, a slightly bitter Mediterranean orange. Its hint of bitterness and sour freshness made it an instant summer hit.

2013

Cockta Chinotto. The taste of summer.

2014

Cockta Original

2013

Cockta 0.33l in its Sleeve Packaging

To celebrate its 60th birthday, Cockta came out with a new design: a 0.33l sleeve package, with Cockta’s history illustrated by comic strip artist Matej de Cecco. He depicted Cockta’s inventor doctor Zelinka on the packaging, adding a few other touches from the very first Cockta ads: including a vintage convertible car and a ski jumper.

2013

Cockta 0.33l in its Sleeve Packaging

2015

Cockta+

2014

Cockta Original

The legendary brand came out with some one of a kind illustrations. The faces adorning the various Cockta flavours are the work of designer Tina Dužič and illustrator Mojca Krajnc.

2014

Cockta Original

2015

Cockta Easy

2014

Cockta+

In 2014 we launched new flavours Cockta+Lime and Ginger, and Cockta+Mandarine.

2014

Cockta+

2015

Cockta Black Tonic

2015

Cockta Easy

Cockta Easy. Sugar-free and energy-free. Sweetened with sucralose and the natural sweetener stevia. Created on the cutting edge for everyone who avoids beverages with added sugar or glucose-fructose syrup for health or personal reasons.

2015

Cockta Easy

1953

The first Cockta bottle

2015

Cockta Black Tonic

Cockta Black Tonic - A combination of daring and perfection brings total refreshment! This new revolutionary flavour is a combination of gently bitter tonic and the legendary Cockta recipe with added caffeine.